Lots of readers are struggling to find cost-effective ways to get their vintage appliances — stoves, fridges, stovetops, dishwashers — repaired safely and cost-effectively. Atomicbowler-dave recently provided this advice, which is in synch, I think, with successes other readers have had:
Where to turn to get your vintage appliances repaired? Dave suggests:
I can’t help but wonder on the parts issue… There are certainly times and places where a certain amount of substitution and reverse-engineering of sorts can go a long way.
Certainly, no one should monkey in places they are unsure or uncomfortable when it comes to items that could cause fire, shock or injury.
One thing I have observed, experienced and often engaged in…whether with boats, obscure foreign and antique cars, old equipment, appliances, etc…is a certain amount of mix-and-match and/or artful adaptation. Where there is a will, there is often a way.
I am often leery myself of too much advice bantered about via the internet as one really can’t see, meet or know the source and get a solid feeling for the person’s real acumen.
I’m a big fan of solid, experienced, local people if they can be found. I am an even bigger fan of the “old guys”–most of whom are by now retired or gone on away–who collected the tribal knowlege and also came from an era more imbued with need and willingness for make-do. Heck, most of the ‘ability’ or ‘knowledge’ that I have? Whatever it is that tends to put me in the topkick roles professionally? I learned it from old guys who are now gone, most of it…or at least the foundation that I’ve had to build my own on. (Before my head sounds swelled, let me say that when I get compliments, extra respect or whatever in these jobs, I hold private feelings of unworthiness…because I know who the real hotdogs were, and that I’m not half of them. Just that they’re gone, and that I listened to some of them when they were still around.) The sad part is that I only learned bits and pieces of what these fellows spent decades learning!
My point here–and I do have one–is that in dealing with obscure and obsolete things it can often be best to seek out the retirees or the guys that just keep their hands in part-time…if at all possible. These fellows are usually of the type to know both what TO do and what NOT to do, but also have the historical background to say ‘Hey, I bet I could make the kanooten valve from xyz item work in here’.
If you can find this sort of ‘professional’ help, it’s likely the best of all. There can be some great personal benefits for everyone, too. Good luck with those appliances, I sort of envy your present challenges as I don’t yet have my own cool kitchen to cope with!
Dave
Thanks, Dave. I love the idea of finding retirees or long-time, hometown shops that have a real history with old appliances and are willing to patiently work though the issues with you. I can’t recall exactly – but I *think* it was Gretchen in Sacramento who also recently reported success with her Thermador cooktop working with a smaller, local shop. (Gretchen, am I right? Can you weigh in?) So it can be done. Meanwhile, Precautionary Pam weighs in: Work with licensed professionals. Do not mess with stuff you don’t understand. Empower yourself with your own thoroughly researched knowledge about safety and environmental issues in your vintage home.
Finally, the awesome photo gets an explanation: Dave and Laura go by the handles here of atomicbowler-dave and atomicbowler-laura. What a pair! Dave explains that Laura’s favorite colors are turquoise and pink, so he bought here this new (vintage-look) bowling ball last year for her birthday. 
What a great post. I too have learned so much from the “old guys” one of whom was my father. There was also that guy down the street who was always tinkering in his garage…
Another source might be the guy in that old TV repair, or Vacuum cleaner shop. It seems like every city has one, a tiny storefront tucked away in a little strip mall off the main street. It’s the kind of place you wonder how it stays in business. I’ve turned to those guys more than once.
I’d like to introduce you to my favorite future old guy, Dave Harnish. He’s great with sound advice on keeping your solid old appliances running as they should rather than just throwing them out and replacing. He’s very nice, too.
http://www.davesrepair.com
He has a particular fondness for old Sunbeam mixers.
My comment is more old house than old appliance specific, but I have learned my lesson the hard way in this regard. I’ve had water pipes and fittings crumble in a 25 year old plumber’s unaccustomed hands. When I need repair work done I ask one very important question: Does the repairman have knowledge and experience working with older homes? Then I ask the guy even further once he shows up about his experience. If I sense they are all “let’s just rip it out and start from scratch” I won’t do business with them. Like I say, I learned the hard way after some major post-hurricane renovations five years ago.
I totally agree with Dave regarding reverse engineering. A little ingenuity with available parts can go a long way. That is part of what our repairman did for our Tradewind double oven. I wrote about it here: http://eichlerific.blogspot.com/2009/10/locally-and-family-owned-appliance.html I think it just takes a little while finding the right people for the right job. Lots of phone calls and research but it pays off.
There are also online forums of enthusiasts and collectors of the old stuff and it’s looking there. For example: http://automaticwasher.org/index.htm http://www.toaster.org/ http://www.antiquestoves.com/toac/index.htm and http://www.vacuumland.org/ I’m sure there are more out there.
It’s also a certain mindset to keep a well-built and solid appliance out of the landfill. Not cheap for labor costs but we do get to keep our vintage set that we oh-so-love. Recently our eight-year old washing machine failed and we had to throw it away. The replacement part costs the same as the newer model. What a shame!
There are a host places to go on the net that can definately help you with vintage appliances….both major AND small.
For advice and help on repairing vintage major appliances…try asking for advice at my favorite website….AUTOMATICWASHER.ORG…..believe it or not there are a A LOT of people (some of which frequent this site) who post on that site that have actually restored vintage major appliances from the likes fo early automatic washer and dryers to dishwasher, stoves and fridges. People at the site are always willing to give advice on where to find parts and even tell you how they fixed problems like ones you might be having. Also you can see pics and videos of some of the awesomne restored appliances. Also there are sources like the Old Appliance Club (www.antiquestoves.com) that can help you find parts. There is also Jowers Antique Appliances (www.antiqueappliances.com) in Clayton Ga. that restores vintage stoves and fridges and has some replacement parts for stoves and fridges (check their site for specifics).
Now for small appliances like toasters and waffle irons there is Micheal Sheaffe in New York who runs Toastercentral.com. He restores and sells old toasters, waffle irons, and Sunbeam Slow Cookers.
If you have a Sunbeam Self lowering Radiant Control Toaster that needs a adjustment take a look at this web site automaticbeyondbelief.org. This web site is dedicated to the self lowering toasters that Sunbeam made from 1949 to 1997.
For vintage mixers and Kitchen Aid Coffee Grinders there is Deco Dan (www. Decodan.com) Check out his site.
For advice about vintage vacuums there is vacuumland.org which is the website for the Vacuum Cleaner Collectors Club. This is actually a sister site to Automaticwasher.org and you will find as many knowledgeable vintage vacuum folk here as you will find anywhere.
Last but not least if you have a vintage fan that needs a hand (sorry couldn’t resist getting cute) go to http://www.fancollectors.org home of the Antique Fan Collectors Association
As for me I am lucky I have a tv guy, a radio guy, and a small appliance repair shop all with in a half hour of my pad that will fix my vintage stuff……..
Woah, thanks for all those great resources, Patrick! I think that I will have to pull them all together somewhere in 2010.
I just had our Thermador cooktop repaired as a Christmas present for my husband. I called Thermador and they sent a local repair person out. It wasn’t super cheap ($160 to repair two non-working burners) but they did an excellent job.
I had my circa-1950 Sunbeam Mixmaster completely overhauled a couple years ago by a guy in Canada. It was my mother’s mixer and is older than I am—but not by much! She gave it to me years ago, and I have always treasured it.
When it began to slow down and run very hot, I found Phil’s Appliance Science in Canada after an exhaustive internet search.
Seemed kind of crazy to mail an old mixer from Pennsylvania to Canada for repairs (and I cannot remember exactly why I decided to do it), but turned out to be a great decision. Phil completely overhauls the motor/engine/whatever is inside, and cleans and restores luster to the exterior as well. I was thrilled.
The total cost was less than any new mixer would have been—but best of all, my mom’s old mixer is good as new now, and should last another 50 years!
If you Google his name, he does have a web page.
The information is:
Phil’s Appliance Science
49 Francis St N
Kitchener ON N2H 5C4
Canada
1-519-747-7220
info@mixerfixer.com
What Patrick said — good work!
I tried commenting twice and my posts keep evaporating.
For those of you in NYC, Paul at Central Range (in Queens) spruced up my gas, 1950s Caloric wall oven & cooktop, and got tem working again. Nobody else would go near these appliances! I don’t have his contact info in front of me, but if you need him & can’t find him, I can hunt it down.
Forgot to mention, if you’re in the Sacramento region — we had our double TradeWinds oven repaired by Zajic Appliance Sales and Service, an old-school family-run local business.
So it WAS you, wasn’t it, Gretchen, that I knew had found success?
In Los Angeles, I use Sav-on Appliances. They sell, restore and repair vintage stoves and fridges. The guy who started it, Emmett Julian, is semi-retired now, but his daughter Lisa and her crew of repairmen always respond quickly and do a good job. I’ve been using them for about 8 years now to fix appliances in my apartment rentals.
They have two locations, one in Burbank and one in Reseda:
http://www.savonappliance.com/
Precautionary Pam here: I want to note that I do not endorse any of these recommendations… but for now, I’ll let readers continue to share their experience in the spirit of enabling other homeowners to begin their own research. If you want to post a resource and I don’t recognize you, by the way, I might not approve the comment as I do not want spammers jumping in on this. FOLKS: Please make sure that you do YOUR OWN research to verify that you are working with a safe, experienced, licensed professional!
As you know I’m a huge fan of Chamber stoves and I’m not alone.
I don’t know of another brand of stove that has the near cult like following these stoves have, for good reason.
Lots of help, information and parts can be found at
http://www.chamberstoves.net/
Many people have done complete restorations of their Chambers stoves with great results.
To follow up on Pam’s post, I know a lot of people on other home improvement sites were scammed by a guy restoring vintage stoves (some they’d sent to him, some were advertised on his site). Be careful who you give your money to, and if possible, use a credit card with buyer protection!
In Houston, TX, I have heard that Macy’s Classic Stove Works is the place to go.
Macy’s Stoveworks is closed.
Parts for Chambers ranges can be obtained from Don Mattera in Rhode Island, and Hugh’s Place in Louisiana.
As of June 2012, Macy’s Stove Works in Houston is open. They are coming to fix our O’Keefe & Merritt Stove tomorrow!
Does anyone have a source for cool vintage small-appliance parts—for, say, coffeemakers? A while ago I commented on a thread with source info (my local Ace Hardware) for vintage-type pot and pan lids and handles, percolator tops, etc…
But, this goes further inside. Specifically, Laurs found me this flat-out AWESOME 32-cup ‘Drip-o-Lator’ complete with a seperate ‘launch pad’ looking-stand. Sad to say tho that the tube, asket and top are not with it.
Any ideas? Much appreciated!
Dave
We just had the unfortunate experience of our bake element going out in our 50′s GE wall oven just at Christmas baking season. My husband was a repairman over 20 years ago and told me to go to Vinh’s, the next town over. He first said he didn’t have the part until I told him that it was out of a ’59 oven and he went to the back room and came right back out with one, gave me the fittings to change and told me the particulars on angle. Yeah, the old guys know what they are doing! Lifelong customer he earned!
For small appliance parts; I am not above buying ones on ebay or from Goodwill and scavenging the parts and stashing the rest away in the attic for later needed parts. It’s been the best way I’ve found. I’m going to be one of the old ladies that when people go to her estate sale they are going to be wondering what on earth I needed 5 blenders for! And, yes, I have 4 blenders (thus far)!!!
HaHa! That’s why I have two Kitchenaid mixers! LOL!
I need to get a braun #4050 coffee maker repaired. Its been in a box for 20 years and love the way it looks, but it doesnt work, any ideas
I posted this on the forum, but my story fits this topic well:
We just purchased a red Chambers stove that had not been moved since it was installed in 1952. It was still hooked up to the gas. The point is that back then there was no separate gas shut-off – the gas had to be shut off at the Main (on the sidewalk) and capped at the wall. (Normally if you are re-modeling you would have a shut-off installed, not a cap, but this house was sold and the new owners are going to knock it down
)
This is what happened (we HAD to hire a pro because of the gas situation):
(The company in Queens that I had tried to contact is Central Range, mentioned by Ashley above. Too bad I couldn’t get in touch with him
Ok, what happened was that my mom was offered a low-back Chambers in white for $100. But we didn’t want a white one, and it would cost at least $2000.00 to have it re-enameled to a new color. So, I checked Ebay and there it was – a 1952 Chambers Deluxe high-back in RED in Queens, NY (1 hour from me)! It still worked, but had never been moved since the kitchen was built. He wanted $775, but I got it for $600 (he wouldn’t take $500).
I found a restorer in Queens, but he had no website and when we called we only got the answering machine. Called a few times over a few days and finally the machine was full. The guy who owned the stove said he knew of the restorer, but he was old back then, so maybe he had retired. We ended up calling the Stove Lady in Westchester (the next closest restorer) and she refused to give a quote without seeing the stove.
The cost to have the stove picked up and brought to the shop was $400, so I tried calling a bunch of appliance repair people that were closer to the stove (and me) and the replies were as follows:
1) we DO NOT disconnect gas stoves! (weird!)
2) NO CHAMBERS! (OK!)
3) We can disconnect it, but we can’t move it because we are just a husband and wife – the stove is too heavy! Also, we can’t get parts!
Back to The Stove Lady – she knows what she is doing, and the stove HAD to be removed ASAP (house was sold)! So I had another long conversation with her – there are 3 levels of restoration – FULL – completely dismantled, re-built and refinished (new chrome, re-porcelained grates, and re-enameled body) – I do not want the body re-enameled because it looks as great as any original finish I’ve ever seen. Tier 2 – restore to working order (with safety system – required by code) and fix other parts, re-chrome top and re-porcelain grates. Tier 3 – just get it up to code and clean it.
The choice was to pay her $265 to drive out and look at it and tell us if it is worth it or not, but then if we wanted it we would have to pay another $400 to move it. Or pay $400 to move it to her shop and $165 to have her hook it up to the gas, analyze it and give us the 3 different quotes. We opted to have it moved now – otherwise we would be out an extra $200 or so for nothing. It was working, and the body finish was great, so I knew this was the best stove we’d find (no stove that old can just be moved and installed as-is – the plumber / gas company would “Red Tag” it as not up to code).
Now we are waiting for the 3 different quotes. Part of the deposit goes towards restoration. She refused to give a ball-park because every stove is different. She did imply that it will be well over $2,000 though.
We will probably go Tier 2 – because I know that it was working and I don’t want it re-painted. The good thing about this stove is that it had the original Thermowell pots and baking unit – extremely hard to find and worth at least $500 – that alone was worth getting the stove (most old ones don’t include these).
Because I live in NY, as opposed to CA, I didn’t have many choices. The next nearest restorers are in MA or RI – and the cost of shipping alone would be more than having it moved by the Stove Lady twice.
This was one of those crazy bite-the-bullet, close your eyes and just go for it purchases!
I HOPE it won’t total more than $6,000 because I could get an already-restored red one for $7,000-$8,000 (but that would have to be shipped from far away).
Because of this unexpected splurge we are seriously considering doing a retro kitchen with vintage metal cabinets (can’t find any new quality wood cabinets that cost less than $30,000, and the cheaper ones just do not compare to the quality of what was made back then).
So, this is a warning story for anyone who gets a “great deal” on an antique gas stove.
That being said, if we sell the house the stove will NOT be included in the sale!
Now we are looking at a vintage wall oven too! HOPEFULLY I can get in touch with Central Range in Queens to check that out. I’ve heard that electric ovens can cost more to fix (because accessing the elements is complicated), but the one we are interested in did work until it was removed. Hopefully a new power cord will do. I just do NOT want to deal with anymore gas hook-ups! I also have a vintage jadeite fan (somewhere in a box) that works but needs a new cord.
Will this all be worth the hassle? I hope so. I just hope it costs at least a few thousand dollars less than purchasing an already-restored model because my dream stove is actually the Baby Blue Chambers to go with my Art Deco 10″ deep sink with drainboards that I traveled 5 hours to get a few years ago (that really should be re-enameled even though it is better than any other old sink I’ve seen).
Truthfully, what bugs me most is that a “restorer” vs. a repair person costs more. I was hoping to save money by having the top re-chromed and grates re-porcelained on my own (my mother’s employer works with a local chroming shop). The restorers all ship them out anyway – kind of like hiring a General Contractor to work on your house – they hire sub-contractors and take a cut for themselves. But at this point I am stuck. Technically I could just have it repaired and cleaned, but what we are afraid of is that we won’t be able to take everything apart and put it back together on our own. We’ll see what happens when we get the quotes.
yup, natschulz, it’s all a huge pain. i think you are new-ish to the blog? be sure to read my annual new year’s day post: http://retrorenovation.com/2010/01/01/the-hard-way/
I’m going through vintage stove blues right now too. In fact, I’ve emailed back and forth with Pam a few times on my dilemma over the last couple of years! I picked up an intact 1940′s vintage kitchen complete with St. Charles cabinets and two built in Roper stoves just about for free through Craigslist. The oven needs new hinges, handles, thermostats etc. The burners and the broiler unit work, but entire thing needs re-enameling.
The badge inside one of the ovens reads Roper, Model 5-400, Type 101. It’s a total of two units (a broiler/4 burner unit and an oven/4 burner unit) However, I cannot find anyone in Chicago that can do the work and I’ve not had luck getting quotes from vintage appliance repair places in the midwest. I’ve just emailed Whirlpool to see if there is any chance that they may have someone who can work on my old baby. Anyone have a “guy” in Chicago they know of? Thanks!
Hello Jenny. Did you find a reputable company in/near Chicago to refurbish your vintage stove? Could you share any information please? Thank you.
Patricia, Chicago
I have a Kitchenaid model 4C and want to restore it to its original beauty. It’s leaking black oil out of the mixer part, but does anyone have a suggestion for someone in the Northeast who does good work at reasonable prices. I want to give it to my daughter who loves to bake.
I am looking for a source to buy aprox. 50 vintage washing machine timers (new in the box… new old stock) from the 70’s Era I believe. I would like to know if you are aware of anyone that might be interested in the lot or a forum where I can post. Thanks
Mitchell: You can post these on our Forum: http://retrorenovation.com/forum. No buying/selling on the main blog. I also recommend ebay and craigslist… Good luck.
Loved all the entries at this site about kitchen appliances. I just finished reffurbishing my second antique stove for a townhouse style homeI purchased. If you want to get it right the first time if you are a do it yourselfer like me go to http://www.theoldapplianceclub.net. They have been in business for over 4 decades and have a perfect record so I chose to deal with them on my first and second stove.
Wow! I was blown away at the workmanship they did on my stove parts. They rebuilt my safety valves, thermostats and top burner valves and sent me all new insulation for my stoves. They have tons of parts so I didn’t need to hunt around anywhere. Super nice people to deal with. Everything is done by mail order which made it great for me since I live way out in the boonies.. My next project is an old overhead fan/light/vent and an ancient wall cooler. I just love my old house and the appliances in it. You can do a lot yourself, but don’t hesitate to use a pro’s services on the important stuff. Cheers!
If you live in Rochester, NY Arctic Refridgeration sells parts to restore old fridges. And they are cheap + awesome.
I have A triple head milkshake machine [malted milk shake mixer], cream and black porcelain on cast iron. “Mix’ n Whip Master” manufactured by the Racine Electric Products Company, Wisconsin. I am missing one motor & the mixing rod where can I find such an item or can you suggest someone
thanks
JM
When we lived in Omaha, we had a wonderful man who would work on our vintage stove, vintage dryer, and 100-year old toilet. He could fix anything. He was eccentric, lived alone, and was just happy to have friendly people (us) who would listen to his stories and feed him. He charged us about $10/hr. When we moved to Michigan, we knew we would miss him.
I live in Omaha and have a chambers oven in need of repair. Could you give me the name of your Omaha guy so I can try to have my oven fixed? I have been searching everywhere for someone and can’t afford to have it pulled out of the wall and shipped.
Monitor Top Refrgerator In Need Of Repair
Working monitor top (round ball model) needs repair.
The compressor shuts down after running for 10 hours.
previously running without fail since the 1930′s.
Looking for local repair in the north east states, preferably NEW YORK.
Michael, see my follow up story, which includes 2 places in NYC area to try: http://retrorenovation.com/2011/11/04/13-places-to-buy-restored-vintage-stoves/
I have a 1940′s or 1950′s Westinghouse standing floor fan with adjustable legs on wheels. It was that old art deco blue when my family had it back in the 1960′s. The switch is broken so it only has one speed and and I know the motor is still good and the telescope legs are a little out of wack. I’m looking to at the very least to get the switch repaired or possibly restore the entire fan. Does anyone know of a person or company in the Detroit area/Waterford Michigan area that could help me? This is a very cool item of Americana and sentimental to me because my mother would take her naps in front of this fan almost every day and we would all argue to see who got it at night on those hot and humid michigan summer nights. Please contact me by e-mail if you can help. It would mean the world to me if I could get this fan in working order
Bill, your email does not show on this listing. Please subscribe to the Comments to watch for any follow ups. You can also post your question on our Forum: http://retrorenovation.com/forums/ Good luck.
Anyone know of someone who can fix my 1955 GE Combination Refrigerator? I got gaskets from Jowers Antique Appliances but can’t find anyone in Jacksonville, Florida to put them on. I also need the freezer foot pedal repaired. Help!
I am looking to restore a vintage hair curler set that still works and I use every day. The new models today do not work well and do not function the same. . This set was purchased at Sears in 1968. If you know anyone who restores this type of item, please let me know.
HELP – we’re looking for someone in Chicago who can replace the valves in our vintage 1950 Kenmore range. The Gas company disconnect it today just in time to keep the roof from blowing off! We would appreciate your suggestions.
Thanks, Mary
I am looking for either a new door or someone in Massachusetts that can repair a GE 1950′s oven door.
Thank you for any suggestions